England star Phil Foden has departed England’s Euro 2024 camp in Germany to return home for the birth of his third child, confirmed the English Football Association on Wednesday.
In April, Foden and his partner Rebecca Cooke announced via Instagram that they were expecting their third child. The couple already has two children: five-year-old son Ronnie and two-year-old daughter True.
The Football Association stated that the Manchester City star needed to attend to a “pressing family matter.” They expressed optimism that Foden would rejoin the squad by Sunday, ahead of England’s last-16 match scheduled for 17:00 BST.
Foden, who was pivotal in Manchester City’s Premier League title victory this season and earned accolades as the Player of the Year, has featured in all three of England’s matches in the tournament so far.
Despite England advancing to the knockout stages as Group C winners, their performances have not matched expectations, drawing with Denmark and Slovenia after an initial 1-0 win over Serbia.
However, England’s tournament path appears favourable, avoiding potential clashes with heavyweights such as Germany, France, Spain, and Portugal until the final stages, should they progress.
